Page 121 of Nikola

“I don’t deserve Skye, but I’m going to take her anyhow.” Despite the pity, my fucking legs, and everything else. Mrs. Leone said nothing, so I continued. “And I’m going to work my fucking hardest to deserve her every day for the rest of our lives.”

“I know.” She nodded as she took a seat on the edge of Kostya’s bed, her eyes landing on my legs. “I’m sorry you paid for my family’s fuckup.” I waved it off, but she shook her head. “Don’t discount it, Nikola. You saved the two most important people to me, and life without them—” She swallowed. “I’ve lived once without Dante, and I don’t want to do it again. So thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Mrs. Leone.”

“Phoenix,” she signed. “Call me Phoenix. After all, we’re family. We've been a family for a very long time.”

Hope swirled in my chest. “Phoenix, then.”

“Now, I want to share something with you.” She crossed her legs as if getting comfortable for a long conversation. “When I was young, you know Dante and I were separated. But what nobody knows is that I thought Dante left me because of my disability. My hearing impairment. I was lucky to have a father and sister who never made me feel lacking, but it was my own self-worth that doubted anyone else.”

“You aren’t lacking,” I said, noting she didn’t mention her grandmother.

She smiled softly.

“I’m glad you see it that way. I raised Skye with that sentiment too, but the fact of the matter is that we’ve been living with that feeling all our lives. But this…” She pointed to her ears, then my legs. “Doesn’tmake us any less. It takes a fighter and a quite remarkable person, if I may say so, to continue to live. You hear me, Nikola… you have to live and love fully. Despite your legs. Despite Skye’s hearing impairment, and any other obstacles thrown your way.”

Jesus fucking Christ.

It was like something in my chest shifted and clicked into place. Maybe those were the words I needed to hear all along, and it took a person like Phoenix and Skye to make me realize it.

“If I gave up, I wouldn’t have Dante. If Skye had given up, she would have never experienced this love she has for you. And if you give up, Nikola… you’ll give up on Skye. Keep an open mind and the world is yours. You have something that most people search for their entire lives. You love each other.”

I was such a fucking idiot. Such a fool.

“I’m not giving up. Not anymore, not ever again.” I straightened my shoulders and locked eyes with my future mother-in-law. “I love her. I’ve loved her for far longer than I realized, and this time I’m keeping her forever, because I can’t live without her.”

Now it was up to me to make it up to Skye.

49

SKYE

Christmas had come and gone, then New Year’s, and then the whole months of January and February. I’d never understood how anyone could hate the holidays, but now I certainly did. Family gathered around, happy and joyful, making my own mood only gloomier.

Physically I was perfect. Emotionally not so much.

It was the longest I’d gone without seeing Nikola since Sasha and Branka adopted me. In fact, it was the longest I’d gone without going to New Orleans, and it almost felt like I’d lost a limb. That city was my home as much as Trieste and I was feeling homesick.

It also didn’t help that I hadn’t seen my girlfriends in months. Penelope was married and in her own hell—or heaven, none of us were quite sure. Arianna was getting her brains fucked out by her husband. Amara was being secretive about whatever she was doing. And then there was me.

My plan to get Nikola back started and ended with Kostya, who I finally flat-out refused. I couldn’t do that to Nikola, even though he’d hurt me more than anyone else ever had. So I dealt with it like most of Generation Alpha: by talking to a therapist.

My therapy sessions with Dr. Freud continued, although we both agreed my papa needed them even more than me. She claimed I was dealing with everything in a healthy way; my papa not so much.

All the Italian cookies I’d devoured would attest otherwise, but I took the win nonetheless.

I let out a heavy sigh and eyed the cookie assortment on the coffee table while debating whether I should eat another or not. I’d already eaten half a dozen cream puffs. Mini tiramisus. Amaretti and ricotta cookies. You name it, I’d devoured it.

Apparently, it was my thing to eat my feelings.

I was just about to sayfuck itand go for another cookie when my phone’s vibration yanked my attention away.

With a heavy sigh, I reached for it and my eyes widened. No, it couldn’t be. I blinked several times, but the name still stared back at me.

Nikola.

Was it a prank? Maybe Papa had threatened him with bodily harm if he didn’t message me. I glanced around the empty room. My parents were on the terrace, cuddled in a blanket and watching the sunset. Mama went on an impromptu trip with Aunt Reina and Papa just about lost his marbles, so she was making it up to him.